Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-01-22
THE POSTMISTRESS.


sY slBELLA Is. EDccoME.
"Sluffins and crumpcts made 10 or.
der" Thus ran the written notice.
penned, TOO, in characters nearly ap.
preaching half-text. stuck up in one Of
the few principal shops facing the main
strccL.
The unimportant village of :I.ammer.
ton lay somewhat far away from any
town, and therefore did fair amount OF
steady going business on its own ac-
count Foremost of all ranked the re-
posltory. or store, rented by Janet | isle.
In which she sold stationery, newspa-
pers, the magazines of the day if duly
ordered in time, besides variety of use
ful odds and ends. She was also the vii
lage postmistress, and carried ont tue du.
ties OF her Office with marked regard t.
promptitude. In each of these pursuits.
however, she was aided by her pretty
and winsome niece, Elsie Falconbridgc.
In all reality, Elsie was more mistress
OF the postal department than Janet
Lisle herself. 1t was sh. who ordinarily
undertook the dispatch of that twice-a-
day tter-bag, bestowing upon each mis-
SIve previously the due Official stamp
mark. "Janet Lislc's right hand, IN
fact, as every one said She, too, it was
who made the mu Inns and crumpets-
multi and crumpcts which were SO rop
ular in the village that no one ever
dreamt of having a tea party without
also having ''mu fins and crumpets" to
match.
"Oblige me with a two-cent stamp,
Miss Falconbridge, won't you?" and a
somewhat elderly man at that moment
stared her in the face-this necessarily
howeVer-through the gap made in the
wire network marking off the spa:e G al
lotted to the postoifice department.
She handed him what he required.
.'And registered envelope, also" he
said.
Again she had fulfilled his request.
"ihank you," and without more ado
he deposited twenty dollar note within
the same.
"All right" he soliloquized, as old
gentlemen are so fond of doing. "Come,
that's done, at any rate, he added, in
self congratulatory fashion.
Then CAME aloud, questioningly:
I'm the letter box?--or shall / leave it
with you2"
"You caa leave it here, SIR all
swered Elsie, quietly.
Others were now coming in fast, de
manding this and that, and in adopting
a calm exterior lay her only chance of at
tending rightly to each petitioner.
Janet Lisle also was unusually busy
that afternoon. Miss Veal, the richest
old lady in the parish, gave large tea
party that very evening, and mullins and
crumpets were accor iingly being sent off
in startlingly large quantities.
us there any letter waiting for me to-
day, pleasei" asked a somewhat timid
voice few minutes later on.
'No, Miss Josephine, nothing"
Il am sorry. Disappointing-is if
nots"
The two speakers seemed fully to com
prehend each other. There existed, ap.
parently, sort of pleasant sympathy be.
tween them.
Both were pretty. Both looked good,
and also thoroughly in earnest. Only,
that the assistant postmistress appeared
full Of brightness and life, and the girl
now facing her wore the aspect of being
tired Of life already.
eyes, very. am sorry too"
"Thank yOn You are always kind. |
will look in again to morrow, if nv doing
so will not trouble you too much.n
mot at all. Miss Josephine
The lastnamed was already moving
away to make room for some one else
Elsie Falcnnbridge had. however. not
yet completed her business with the late
lawyers daughter
"Auntie," she whispered, "take my
place here for a moment"
.Innet Lisle nodded in assent.
"Do come in here an instant with me,
won't you," and Elsie signe | that Miss
Josephine should accompany her into the
cozy back parlor, where all was now in
readiness for tea. "The fact is. Miss
Josephine, I've done the most stupid
thing imaginable to to-day-madc a mis-.
take and prepared nearly twice the num-
Der OF crumpcts that will be wanted by
anybody. Isn't it absurd of me? You
won't mind no, I'm sure You won't,
Miss Josephnc--helping me out of my
trouble2'
but how2" came, hesitatingly, in re.
sponse. Then came--ah so bravely, foI
it is ever difficult to tell the plain truth
in such matters IL can't. It's quite
impossible. We have no money. Don't
you understand"
"Absurdw was tho interruption.
"Why, it's favor I'm asking of you;
don't you seei knew you would be in
TO day for certain, and would befricnd
me. It's only that want you, il you
don't mind the trouble, TO carry home O
dozen or so to your sweet mother. Many's
the dozen she has ordered from us in the
past, when, perhaps, we haven't been
able 10 supply her. One can't forget